Accreditations

Accreditation is a process of institutional peer review performed by objective, not-for-profit external agencies. These agencies evaluate colleges, universities and educational programs for continuous quality. In other words, accreditation is a higher education seal of approval for schools, employers, and most importantly, for students. Students who earn a degree at a regionally accredited institution can be confident that the quality of education, and commitment of an institution to maintain and improve quality, meets the standards of the accrediting body.

Regional accrediting agencies only review schools within a specific geographic area—from traditional 4-year public brick and mortar universities and technical schools, to private colleges and premier online universities, such as Northcentral. This gives you the assurance that all regionally accredited institutions meet the same stringent requirements.

By earning your degree at NCU, you can be confident that the quality of education will meet the standards of WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

To ensure that current and prospective students have access to accurate information about relevant Northcentral University student achievement outcomes, Northcentral University discloses information about completion rates, retention rates, and dissertation quality on the university’s webpage. Learn more.

Regional accreditation by WSCUC provides assurance to the public, especially prospective students, that an institution has been found to meet WSCUC's clearly stated requirements and criteria and there are reasonable grounds for believing that it will continue to meet them.

Accreditation provides both PUBLIC CERTIFICATION of acceptable institutional quality and an opportunity and incentive for SELF-IMPROVEMENT in the accredited institution.

The process of accreditation provides the accredited institution with an opportunity for critical self-analysis leading to improvement in quality and for consultation and advice from persons from other institutions.

Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)

A national advocate and institutional voice for promoting academic quality through accreditation, the Council on Higher Education (CHEA) is an association of 3,000 degree-granting colleges and universities, and recognizes 60 institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations. CHEA reviews organizations on recognition standards, including academic quality and accountability. Northcentral University’s WSCUC accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 510, Washington, DC 20036, 202.955.6126, www.chea.org.

Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)

Northcentral's Business Administration programs in the School of Business are accredited by ACBSP. As a leading accreditation association for business education, ACBSP "develops, promotes, and recognizes best practices that contribute to continuous improvement of business education." The Association emphasizes the importance of "learning how to learn," by balancing teaching and research activities to enhance the quality of classroom instruction and contribute to student learning. To learn more about the ACBSP, visit their website.

Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)

The Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) is the accrediting body for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Northcentral University’s Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy and Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy Programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 112 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, Tel. No. (703) 838-9808. For more information on COAMFTE accreditation, visit their website.

Northcentral University’s Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy and Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy Programs are also accredited by the International Accreditation Commission for Systemic Therapy Education (IACSTE). Created as a semi-autonomous body under the auspices of the International Family Therapy Association (IFTA), IACSTE focuses on the development and implementation of quality standards for programs around the world that provide systemic therapy education and training.

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About Northcentral University

As a regionally accredited online university, Northcentral University has the privilege of serving students worldwide. Just as we are interested in learning more about you and your educational and career aspirations, we hope you’ll take the time to get to know us, discover how our programs and services work to reflect our Mission, Vision and Values, and our commitment to excellence in everything we do.